Over 25 categories of uncertified goods seized in BIS raid on e-commerce firms

Time of India

4 days ago

The
Bureau of Indian Standards
(BIS) on Tuesday said it had seized a large consignment of uncertified consumer products from
e-commerce platforms
Flipkart
,
E-Kart
, and
Meesho
in Krishna district, Andhra Pradesh, emphasising that several platforms are "facilitating the sale and distribution of hazardous goods".
The BIS is conducting a nationwide enforcement campaign to curb the sale of non-certified and unsafe products that violate provisions of the Quality Control Orders (QCOs).
As part of this drive, the BIS Vijayawada branch carried out a raid on July 14 at Mustabad village in Gannavaram mandal, targeting the three platforms, an official press release said.
"The BIS Vijayawada Branch Office conducted a major raid on prominent e-commerce platforms-Flipkart, E-Kart, and Meesho. During the operation, officials seized a large consignment comprising over 25 categories of consumer products," said Prem Sajani Patnala, Director & Head, BIS Vijayawada.
The seized products included electronics, LED bulbs, toys, and table fans-all in violation of Section 17 of the BIS Act, 2016, Patnala said.
Based on actionable intelligence and digital surveillance, it was found that several e-commerce platforms are enabling the sale of uncertified and potentially hazardous products, the release added.
These items, lacking valid
BIS certification
, were being sold in violation of mandatory QCOs and relevant provisions of the BIS Act, posing serious risks to
consumer health and safety
, Patnala said.
Section 17 of the BIS Act prohibits the sale, storage, or display of goods without the standard mark, while Section 29(3) provides for imprisonment of up to three years and fines up to Rs 10 lakh, or up to ten times the value of the seized goods.
In applicable cases, violations under Section 79(2)(c) of the Information Technology Act, 2000, and Rule 3(b)(iv) & (v) of the IT (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, will also be invoked for failure to exercise due diligence by the platforms, Patnala added.
With over 800 products falling under mandatory BIS certification, all such goods must bear standard marks-such as ISI, CRS, Hallmark, or relevant system marks-and be sold only by licensed entities.
Manufacture, storage, or sale of
uncertified goods
is punishable under law.
Patnala urged consumers to use the BIS Care app to verify certification details and report misuse of BIS marks, assuring that BIS will continue proactive enforcement and consumer outreach efforts.